0

0

0%

Search Entries

Categories

Other Blogs

From Jennifer Thornson - Original Blog posted here
My good buddy, Scoobie, is a vista chick. She loves the idea of a bright orange Western mesa, a handsome cowboy, and a beautiful sunset.
The budding decor in her new home reflects this. So it stands on the precipice of Victoriana, arts and crafts, and merry Western kitsch. She is still finding her way. But one collection she has continued via the power of thrifting and antiquing is her Western-themed decanter collection...
Something fans of the unique, inexpensive and fun, will recognize as easy-to-find vintage collectibles at thrift stores, flea markets, antique malls, and yard sales!
Scoobie has kindly let me showcase her collection-to-date for you today-- for which I'd like to thank her. (She's very kind about letting me take photos of whatever she's up to for the ol' blog. Hugs to her!) I know The Thrift Shop Romantic does have some indulgent male readers, and this might just pique the interest. Think of the rugged pulp fiction of Louis L'Amour... And Zane Gray... And the artist Remington...
And bourbon! Oh, lots of bourbon! Like these fun, in-the-box bottles of Jim Beam Kentucky Bourbon, flocked in blue velvet and flecked in gold...
They're covered in Remington prints and generally quite inexpensive in both antique malls and thrift stores, if you're willing to shop around. I understand, the trick is remembering which ones you already have.
Scoobie has also gotten for just a few dollars a piece, a couple of bottles that reflect the retro travel souvenir style that was popular in the 50s and 60s. Like this fun Yosemite map bottle she uncovered.
Others, take on the shape of a real item... Like this stagecoach Kentucky bourbon bottle. Or an Arizona bottle shaped like a mesa I believe (if my memory serves me correctly, because I was there at the time of purchase) she bought for only $3 or so at the Pottery City Antique Mall in, Ohio...
(Correct me if I'm wrong, Scoobie!)
Also, Jim Beam came out with a brown-bottled wildlife series. I got her the chipmunk bottle at the Salvation Army on the South Side of Pittsburgh last year, but she found the other two herself.
As for value, on the whole, don't expect to make a mint off your decorative bottles, but there are collectors' societies who do specialize in certain types of decanters.
I enjoyed perusing the following decanter-related sites (click the links to learn more):
The Jim Beam Club
Check out the bottle pictures here!:
Jim Beam Pictorials Page
And don't forget:
Collectors Net
Me, I have to go. I need to round-up some dinner. Can I get a "yeeeee-hawwwww"?" :)
For more info or the blogs from Jennifer, go to:
http://web.mac.com/thriftshopromantic/iWeb/The_Thrift_Shop_Romantic/Thrift_Shop_Romantic_Home_Page.html

KEARNEY NE- A married couple who moved back to Nebraska from Colorado opened an antique store in Downtown Kearney: The Bricks recently.
Evelyn and Matthew Seip opened Home Thyme at 2217 Central Ave. Oct. 29. Home Thyme sells antiques, home decor, furniture and collectibles.
Evelyn, originally from Lexington, worked in her mother's antique shop, Antiques and More, in Overton before managing floral shops in Colorado.
"I've helped my mother on and off for years," Evelyn said. "I've been a picker for her for years. It's always been kind of a hobby. I like mixing the old with the new."
Read the entire store here: http://www.lexch.com/articles/2010/11/29/news/local/doc4cf3c327a526c497516257.txt

LOWER TOWNSHIP, N.J. - They began with little things. A couple of rusty old train lanterns, some farm implements, a device called a "toe-toaster" that let its users brown slices of bread in the kitchen fireplace and flip them with their feet.
Eventually, their collectors' ardor wasn't satisfied by garage sales and flea markets and Patricia Anne "Annie" Salvatore and her husband, Joseph, began to scout "antique" buildings.
Their passion led to 26 acquisitions - including a blacksmith shed, carpentry shop, and carriage house - at what is now Cold Spring Village, a 30-acre living-history museum on Route 9 about three miles north of Cape May.
Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20101227_New_Jersey_living-history_museum_started_with_one_couple_s_passion_for_antiques.html#ixzz19KtDp2zw

All Brass Armadillo Antique Malls are offering 15% off any of their items listed in the Classifieds area of iAntique.com from March 16th to March 20th.
This sale is in conjunction with their sales that run in their malls on March 18-19-20
If you find something you would like to purchase, you can contact them directly by phone. Their toll-free number is listed in the item's description.
Note: This is the first time iAntique has become involved in the promotion of an online sale through our Classifieds system. We look forward to utilizing this type of promotion in the future and encourage any antique store or mall to contact us if they would like to discuss such sales.
Phoenix Brass Armadillo items - Click Here
Denver Brass Armadillo items - Click Here
Kansas City Brass Armadillo items - Click Here
Omaha Brass Armadillo items - Click Here
Des Moines Brass Armadillo items - Click Here

Related Blogs

Here is a Slight history on insulators, pertains mainly to the glass variety, to see a full history please feel free to visit http://www.nia.org/timeline/index.htm where I found the following facts from.
May 24, 1844: Samuel Morse transmitted the first telegraph message over a short telegraph line run along a railroad between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore with the famous words "What hath god wrought!". Based on advice from Ezra Cornell, the insulators used on this line were made of two flat glass plates surrounding a cloth wrapped wire in slot in the crossarm.
April 18, 1846: Royal E. House of New York, NY patent for a telegraph that prints characters to be decoded titled "The Magnetic Letter Printing Telegraph". The idea was different enough from Morse's design to avoid infringement. An unusual metal and glass insulator was developed uniquely for the House telegraph. (US Patent 4,464)
July 24, 1846: Addison Smith of Perrysburg, OH patent for a fire detector and alarm system using telegraph to transmit information. (US Patent 4,661)
April 5, 1848: Ralph Gray and Robert Hemingray signed a five year lease for a small half-lot on Hammond Street (originally known as Mayor's Alley from Third to Fourth, between Main and Sycamore) in Cincinnati, Ohio. They soon began manufacturing glass at this location under the name of Gray & Hemingray Glass Works.
February 5, 1850: James Spratt of Cincinnati, OH patent for a lightning rod insulator design. This patent was implemented in an early LRI (Lightning Rod Insulator). (US Patent 7,076)
October 14, 1851: John Yandell of St. Louis, MO patent for a glass block insulator. A good example of this CD 1014 insulator exists in the Smithsonian Institution archives. (US Patent 8,438) -- [Full Patent Text]
March 29, 1859: Russel Hickok of Fort Edward, NY patent for a glass lightning rod insulator design. Link for more details! (US Patent 23,373) -- [Full Patent Text]
August 5, 1861: The Transcontinental Telegraph, which connected St. Joseph, Missouri and Sacramento, was completed by the Western Union Telegraph Co. and its associates. In 1869 this line was rerouted to follow the Transcontinental Rail Road
July 25, 1865: This important patent was by Louis Cauvet for the a method of forming internal threads an insulators to allow them to screw onto a threaded pin. Previous insulators were threadless and held on the pin by friction. Brookfield was the first to license this patent. (US Patent 48,906) -- [Full Patent Text]
December 19, 1871: Robert Hemingray patent for a technique for molding glass insulators. This patent was used on a very large variety of insulators. (US Patent 122,015) -- [Full Patent Text] -- (Additional Patent Image)
January 23, 1872: Chester H. Pond of Cleveland, OH patent for a threaded wooden insulator with a metal cap. Several excellent examples of these insulators can be found in the Smithsonian archives. (US Patent 122,961) -- [Full Patent Text]
February 6, 1877: Paul Seiler patent to provide six longitudinal ribs to both strengthen the insulator without adding weight and reduce the contact area with the tie wire. This patent was implemented in CD 130.2. (US Patent 187,183) -- [Full Patent Text]
January 14, 1879: James M. Brookfield design patent for the CD 102 "pony" style insulator. (US Design Patent 10,981) -- [Full Patent Text]
September 13, 1881: Samuel Oakman patent for a process of forming threads on an insulator by plunging a previously formed (and cool) threaded glass cup into the molton glass in the mold. The glass would cool enough as to not overly distort the threaded cup. This technique was used by the American Insulator Co. on many of their insulators as well as some unembossed pieces and a CD 134 marked with just the patent. This is the reason that many of these pieces have poorly defined or somewhat distorted threads, as the glass cup would soften in the molton glass. (US Patent 247,100) -- [Full Patent Text]
May 1, 1883: Joseph S. Lewis patent for an external thread above the wire groove to allow the insulator to be "screwed in" to a tie wire. a damaged insulator could also be replaced without undoing the tie wire. The patent drawing shows the threading to be in the same direction as a normal insulator's internal threads, making one loosen it on the pin to attach the tie wire (Not a desirable function). Frank Pope's patent later this same year (Dec. 25, 1883) is for virtually the same design, only threaded in the opposite direction. Both patents appear on the National Insulator "Corkscrew" styles CD 110.5 and 110.6. (US Patent 276,839) -- [Full Patent Text]
August 14, 1883: Homer Brooke, of Jersey City, NJ patent for an insulator press. This patent was implemented on a number of Brooke's insulators including CD 120 and 133.1 and it is likely that this is the "patent applied for" on a number of other styles attributed to Homer Brooke including CD 120.2 and CD 125. Thanks to Bob Stahr for providing this data originating from Dick Roller who put together a great reference data base. (US Patent 283,321) -- [Full Patent Text] -- Link to additional Homer Brooke information.
October 16, 1883: Bradley A. Fiske and Samuel D. Mott patent for diamond shaped indentations in the wire groove to reduce electrical contact with the tie wire. This patent was implemented in both CD 135 and CD 109. (US Patent 286,801) -- [Full Patent Text]
December 25, 1883: Frank L. Pope patent for external threads opposed to the internal to allow the replacement of a broken insulator without disturbing the tie wire. This patent was implemented in CD 110.5 and CD 110.6. (US Patent 290,922) -- [Full Patent Text]
June 24, 1886: The pottery & Glassware Reporter was informed by Mr. E. A. Leonard that the Leonard Glass Works of Detroit, Mich., has closed down and may not be reopened
August 17, 1886: John O'Brian of New York, NY patent for a unique insulator design assigned to William Brookfield. This patent was implemented in the Brookfield CD 119 insulators, although the embossing provides the wrong patent date. (US Patent 347,635) -- [Full Patent Text]
November 23, 1886: Robert G. Brown of Brooklyn, NY assigned to the E.S.Greeley & Co. patent for an insulator and pin to allow mounting below the crossarm. This design could double the number of circuits supported by a single crossarm or be used to facilitate wire transposition. This patent style is known as the "Brown Pony" and was implemented in CD 187 & CD 188 as well as U-81, U-82, U-84 and U-85. (US Patent 353,120) -- [Full Patent Text]
November 8, 1887: Francis H. Soden and Henry Goehst patent for a strain insulator for electric lights. This patent was implemented in the CD 1129 glass strain. (US Patent 372,940) -- [Full Patent Text]
June 17, 1890: Samuel Oakmen patent for the ears found on cable insulators - CD 258, CD 259, and CD 260 match closely the patent drawings. (US Patent 430,296) -- [Full Patent Text]
August 19, 1890: Samuel Oakman for a skirt projection to act as a water stop as well as threading the inside of the inner skirt to increase the leakage distance. This was implemented in CD 258, CD 259, and CD 260. (US Patent 434,879) -- [Full Patent Text]
December 23, 1890: Foree Bain patent for grooves inside and outside the insulator surface for the dual purpose of increasing leakage distance. This has been implemented on CD 144. This patent was assigned to the Hemingray Glass Company on February 28th, 1901. (US Patent 443,187) -- [Full Patent Text]
February 1891: Pass and Seymour of Syracuse, NY starts making threaded porcelain "wet process" insulators. The only known existing style they made is U-146, although they also catalogued U-141. Sometime in 1895 or 1896 they stopped making pintype insulators.
May 2, 1893: Ralph G. Hemingray patented drip points. The intent was to provide a point for moisture to accumulate and more quickly drip off the insulator keeping it dryer. This date is considered significant as drip points were so widely implemented. (US Patent 496,652) -- [Full Patent Text]
August 29, 1893: George W. Blackburn of Palmyra, NJ patented an insulator design using a bail clamp to hold the conductor wire. This patent was implemented in CD 141.6 (US Patent 504,059) -- [Full Patent Text]
August 14, 1894: George H. Winslow of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania patent for a unique series of oil cup insulators for high voltage use. This patent appears to have been implemented in several rare insulator styles including CD 180, CD 180.1 and CD 244. (US Patent 524,659) -- [Full Patent Text] -- (Additional Patent Image).
September 25, 1894: David N. Osyor patent for a pin and insulator combination that was assigned to the Jeffery Mfg. Co. This was implemented in the CD 185 Mine insulator and porcelain U-89 through U-98B. (US Patent 526,498) -- [Full Patent Text]
1895: The first underground trolley system in the United States is constructed in Boston, MA. This system used relatively low voltage DC which required very large copper cables. The CD 140 "Jumbo" was designed for this line.
September 3, 1895: Danial Rothenberger patent for a unique cable style insulator with a hole through the crown perpendicular to the tie wire. This patent was implemented in the rare Brookfield CD 268. (US Patent 545,819) -- [Full Patent Text]
February 12, 1896: "China Glass & Lamps" reports the new glass works being erected at Westport, Md., by the Baltimore Glass Mfg. Co., is nearing completion. Later reports show production started by the end of March making Screw cap ware, fruit jars and electrical supplies. -- Their insulators are marked B.G.M.Co. and are mostly found in purple glass.
April 7, 1896: Hannibal W. Rappleye patent for a bail-clamp tie arrangement to hold the conductor. This patent was implemented by Brookfield in the rare CD 134.6 (US Patent 557,881) -- [Full Patent Text]
September 28, 1897: Fred Locke patent for a power insulator with an oblong shape and side troughs to direct water away from splashing on the crossarm. This patent was implemented in the U-937 insulators that Locke had Imperial Porcelain make for use on the Niagara to Buffalo power line. (US Patent 590,806) -- [Full Patent Text]
March 8, 1898: John W. Boch patent for a three piece porcelain power insulator where the three shells were fused together with extra glaze. This was implemented in the Classic Thomas styles U-928 and U-928A. (US Patent 600,475) -- [Full Patent Text]
June 7, 1898: Ralph D. Mershon of Colorado patent covering a power insulator design with a far extended inner petticoat and ridges on the top skirt to direct water off the insulator. This patent was implemented in CD 288 and CD 298 as well as U-938, U-944 and U-945. (US Patent 605,256) -- [Full Patent Text]
September 3, 1898: A British patent by Daniel Sinclair and William Aitken both of Oxford Court, London patent for a two part dry spot insulator implemented in U-1925,U-1929, and U-1929A. (UK Patent 25,816 of 1897) -- [Full Patent Text]
September 19, 1899: Frederick H. Withycombe of Montreal, Canada patent for a various ridge designs on the outside of an insulator to provide a "cushion" to damage from projectiles (ie: thrown rocks). This first patent illustrates horizontal ridges. He released four very similar Letters Patents and two design patents for virtually the same ideas. Horizontal ridges are found on a number of Canadian CD 143's. (US Patent 633,173) -- [Full Patent Text]
1900: An eight mile elevated section of Boston's transit system was constructed. Heavy DC cables were required and this line used CD 267 and CD 267.5 insulators without tie wires. The weight of the cable was sufficient to hold it in place below the tracks.
June 10, 1902: Vernon G. Converse patent for a stacking insulator. This patent was implemented in the amazing glass insulator comprising CD 317.8, two CD 313 sleeves, and one CD 313.1 sleeve. (US Patent 701,847) -- [Full Patent Text]
April 7, 1903: Ferdinand W. Gregory of New York, NY patent for a square wire groove providing extra support for the conductor. This was implemented on the scarce Brookfield CD 159. (US Patent 724,848) -- [Full Patent Text]
May 19, 1903: Fred M. Locke patent for the design of the M-2795 insulator. (US Patent 728,805) -- [Full Patent Text]
November 17, 1903: Edward F. Schoethaler of Longbranch, NJ patent for a unique insulator design. The drawings look very similar to the recently found "Spaceman" CD - The intent was to provide extra protection from a wire coming undone which may indicate that this idea influenced the rare CD 139 Brookfield "Combination Safety" insulator. (US Patent 744,631) -- [Full Patent Text]
April 26, 1904: Scott Cutter patents the unusual CD 1038 glass Cutter tree insulator. (US Patent 758,175) -- [Full Patent Text]
March 24, 1908: Leonard W. Storror of San Francisco, CA patent for an insulator with an insert to improve insulation by making a better barrier to moisture. This was implemented in the Brookfield CD 211 "No Leak" insulator. (US Patent 882,803) -- [Full Patent Text]
April 6, 1909: Charles E. Eveleth of Schenectady, NY patent for a porcelain power insulators with skirt grooves to allow pieces to break off if hit by a projectile preventing the loss of the whole insulator. This patent was implemented in the rare M-2202 and M-2202A porcelain power insulators. (US Patent 917,031) -- [Full Patent Text]
March 19, 1910: The Hemingray Glass Company received Trade Mark No. 79,096: “HEMINGRAY” for use on ‘electric, telegraph, telephone, cable, street-railway, and floor insulators and break-knobs of glass.’ It was noted that the trade mark had been in use for 10 years. Link for additional Hemingray information.
January 16, 1912: John Hilliard Jr. and Charles E. Parsons of Glens Falls, NY patent for a unique rigid suspension insulator made with multiple insulating shells mounted on a rod with two metal ends. This is quite likely the patent for the recently found suspension insulators made from five CD 314 Hemingray shells. (US Patent 1,015,229) -- [Full Patent Text]
August 11, 1914: Benjiman S. Purkey of Tacoma, WA patent for a twist lock "No Tie" porcelain insulator. This patent is implemented in U-186. Although unmarked, the recently discovered CD 207.5 may also have been made to this patent. (US Patent 1,107,111) -- [Full Patent Text]
Sept. 18, 1917: Louis Fort of Jersey City, N.J. patent for a porcelain and metal two piece clamp insulator for street light drops. These unusual insulators were made in brown porcelain with a cast metal clamp and mounting. (US Patent 1,240,330) -- [Full Patent Text]
February 26, 1929: Rufus Gould of New York, NY patent for a dry spot insulator assigned to the Postal Telegraph Co. This patent was implemented in Whitall Tatum CD 182 and porcelain styles U-173, U-174, and U-175. It called for a large inner skirt gap where the drop wire could be potted to keep wetness out. (US Patent 1,703,853) -- [Full Patent Text]
April 9, 1929: Leon T. Wilson of East Orange, NJ assigned to A.T.& T. CO. patent for a low loss glass insulator design. This patent was implemented in Whitall Tatum CD 176 and the recently discovered Hemingray version CD-176.5. (US Patent 1,708,038) -- [Full Patent Text]
June 22, 1937: Bentley A. Plimpton of Victor, NY patent for a porcelain high voltage insulator with additional petticoats and flanges. This patent was implemented in the porcelain "Hi-Top" series of insulators (U-782 through U-805) as well as glass styles CD 220 and CD 221. (US Patent 2,084,866) -- [Full Patent Text]
November 16, 1937: Donald H. Smith assigned to the Western Union Telegraph Co. patent for a metal insulator shield to go around the base of a CD 154 style insulator. I have seen these in use on Canadian dominion CD 154's. (US Patent 2,099,540) -- [Full Patent Text]
July 11, 1939: H.H. Wheeler assigned to Western Union Telegraph Co. patent for a low loss telegraph insulator. This patent was implemented in CD 122.4 by Corning and Hemingray. Of more interest, this patent covers the carnival glass coating used on many of the telegraph styles including the CD 118, 142 and 142.4. It states that the coating increased the surface resistance of the insulator, thereby improving its performance in damp weather. (US Patent 2,165,773) -- [Full Patent Text]
October 15, 1940: D.H. Smith of the Western Union Telegraph Co. patent for a threaded rubber insulator. This patent was implemented in the smaller Continental Rubber Works insulators. (US Patent 2,218,497) -- [Full Patent Text]
January 8, 1946: Alwin G. Steinmayer of Milwaukee, WI patent for a combination insulator and spark gap arrestor. This patent was assigned to the Line Material Company and was implemented in Hemingray insulator CD 186.1 and CD 186 and CD 186.2 were likely similar experimental pieces. (US Patent 2,392,342) -- [Full Patent Text]
November 30, 1948: Rogers Case patented a mid-span transposition bracket as used with the Owens Illinois CD 1049 insulators. (US Patent 2,455,229) -- [Full Patent Text]
October 30, 1962: William F. Markley and James L. Slater patent covering the design of several insulator styles made of rubber. This patent was assigned to the Western Union Telegraph Co. Several styles made by the Continental Rubber Works match this patent. (US Patent 3,061,667) -- [Full Patent Text]

Check out this link for all the fabulous information! I have been to this sale/show several times and it hits it out of the park everytime!
http://www.catspajamasproductions.net/
When you get to the site click on UPCOMING SHOWS to see all the details!
Perhaps I will see you there.

Does anyone collect or have an idea what an antique baggage wagon from the Frisco RR would be worth? It has iron/metal wheels and frame with wooden bed. My father worked for the Frisco RR in Missouri and he got this from the yard when the passsenger trains stopped running.